Allen led way in turning program into a winner

Whatever success Nicholls State University women's basketball attains this season and beyond, the starting point of this new competitive culture began the day Alisha Allen committed to the program.

Teddy Renois Staff Writer

Whatever success Nicholls State University women's basketball attains this season and beyond, the starting point of this new competitive culture began the day Alisha Allen committed to the program.When coach DoBee Plaisance was hired as head coach before the 2008-2009 season, she inherited a program that never had a winning season and achieved little success competing in the Southland Conference.To turn the unsuccessful program around, Plaisance knew she first needed to beat her opponents on the recruiting trail before she could beat them on the basketball court.The first player she targeted was Allen, who at the time was a junior forward from Naaman Forest High School in Garland, Texas. Plaisance was on the job for a couple of months and had nothing to pitch to Allen but her vision of the program. Luckily for Plaisance, Allen bought in and the vision both coach and player shared is becoming a reality. Nicholls has secured a first-ever winning season and clinched a second consecutive trip to the Southland Conference Tournament, another first for the program.The cornerstone of this turnaround is Allen. The 5-foot-11 senior has steadily improved from her first game in a Colonels uniform, and while talented players have joined the program over her four years, Allen remains the standard the others must match.Plaisance said when Allen verbally committed it marked the beginning of her program and each year the teams has improved."I knew coming to Nicholls, one way to turn it around was to bring in special people. At the time, I could've brought in a kid that needed a break or someone we could get just because we are Nicholls. I needed to beat the bushes and get those special kids that everyone else wanted. But all I had was a vision," Plaisance said. "What is so special about Alisha was all she had to go on was my vision. I had barely worked here a few months before I get this (commitment). I'm trying to sell her on Nicholls, and she bought it and has never wavered on us from bringing in more talented players. She always has stayed on task in doing what is needed to do to be successful."It wasn't hard for Plaisance to sell her vision to Allen as she was part of a turnaround at her high school.Allen said after leading her high school to a first-ever appearance to the state tournament, she could see the same thing happening at Nicholls and it drew her to Plaisance."This situation did happen at my high school. They weren't winning, and when I became a junior we were able to help turn the program around and be the first team to make it to the state tournament," Allen said. "Coach sold me on turning this program around and making history. Not only to make history, but to win championships. I wanted to be part of that because of my history at high school. I wanted to say that I was one of the people that helped turned this around. Looking back, it was so hard then, but now we have a group of players that recognize our opportunity we have, and we have the ability to do this here."When Allen arrived at Nicholls, she may have thought Plaisance's vision was blurred.The Colonels finished 2-25 in Plaisance's first season and Allen was expected to contribute on a team that was struggling.Allen made an immediate impact as a freshman averaging 13.7 points and six rebounds, however, the Colonels finished with a 4-24 mark.Allen said there were moments when things were tough, but it was all part of her and the program's growing process."It was really hard, and I remember playing LSU and getting chewed out a couple of times, but that is part of being coachable. It is part of learning and developing as a player. Now, I know what to do and what is expected and that is how I've become a leader," Allen said. "(My career and the program) have been an evolution and it has not been easy. It is so much easier now and maybe this year I can say I was part of winning a championship. I know I came in and helped but we want to finish it, and that is why it is so important to go on and try to win a championship."Allen has done more than just help in turning the program around.As the main inside-scoring threat, Allen has battled bigger players on the boards and her consistency has given open looks for players like KK Babin, LiAnn McCarthy and Emani White from the 3-point line.When her career does end after this postseason, she will leave as the program's second all-time leader in points (1,498), fourth all-time in rebounds (663) and No. 1 in blocked shots (102).With games left to play those career numbers will rise and while Allen isn't concerned with her numbers, she understands she is leaving a large imprint on the program."I've been very happy (with my career) and the crazy thing is I could have achieved more, if I had gotten it as a freshman or sophomore. But I look at that as a learning experience," Allen said. "I want to finish strong and be the best I can be in my time here. I don't want any doubts when I leave. That is why it is so critical for me to put everything into these last couple of weeks."The Colonels (16-9 overall, 8-6 in SLC) are going to put everything into the final two weeks of the season as there is much to achieve.Nicholls is fifth in the conference standings, but only two and a half games separate the Colonels from the top spot in the conference. With three of its four remaining games against teams atop the standings, Nicholls controls its destiny when it comes to tournament seeding.Plaisance said her team wouldn't want it any other way, and Allen is leading the way in embracing the challenge ahead."In terms of our schedule with our last four games, three of the teams are ahead of us in the standings. For us to have a shot at a high seed, we have to give some losses to those teams. Why depend on anyone else doing it? Let it be us and we are embracing it," Plaisance said. "We are not overlooking anyone, and we are embracing this run, and we wouldn't have it any other way. It is imperative that we reach our high expectations because Alisha Allen deserves to be part of a banner year. You can argue we are having a banner year, but we need to put up a banner for Alisha."The Colonels run to the Southland Conference tournament continues at 5:30 today at Sam Houston State and at 5 p.m. Saturday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.A successful road trip may lead to a huge final week with home games against Lamar (March 7) and McNeese State (March 9). Those games will also be the final time Allen competes in Stopher Gym.While her focus is on winning a championship, Allen expects her emotions to surface in her final game at Stopher Gym knowing the vision she and Plaisance shared is becoming so much more."We still have some work to do and it is critical for us to recognize our little mistakes and keep improving. The other big thing is rebounding. It has to be in our heads, and we have to do it. We know if we rebound and limit our mistakes, we can start to peak these final weeks," Allen said. "I know (in my final game at Stopher Gym) my parents will be there and it will be an interesting night with the emotions. Coach and I have been here since Day 1 with each other sharing the same vision. I will play hard in that game as always, and I know it will be an exciting night."

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